love thursday

(whidbey island sunset)

it's love thursday and i am so feeling love's stamp this week. i've been so inspired these last several days....i wanted to share some link love with you:

1. you guys have raised over $5000 for megan this week!! i am in awe. thank you over and over again to everyone who donated, sent her notes of kindness, and spread the word. the chip-in fund will remain up until august 1st so it's not too late to help (if you can). i am beyond proud of our community....truly.

2. friends andrea + jen launched mondobeyondo.org last week. it's an e-course on dreaming big, and i couldn't be more inspired. the first session has sold out but head on over to their gorgeous website to sign up for the next session. they've been working on this for months and it's a doozy of good thing.

3. bodenusa.com is making me sooooo happy with their new arrivals. their dresses make me feel incredibly sassy. love....

4. jen lee's fortunes arrived in my mailbox last week and i promptly freaked out at how incredibly good it was (i sent an email to several girlfriends about it - i never do that). this girl's writing talent blows me away. and fortunes is full of the kind of poetry that will make your heart leap and your spirit settle in with the stuff that really matters.

5. this isn't really an inspiring link (no link at all, actually), but i just want to say how much i'm loving so you think you can dance. and how much i was enjoying the bachelorette (ed?). summer tv. the best.

6. thank you for all the new website love! between blog/twitter/facebook/email comments (we live is such a crazy tech time, no?), i'm flying high over it and happy to have all that work done. there are still a few tweaks to work out (thanks for pointing them out:)....but we're almost there.

7. loving all the excitement going on over at shutter sisters - i visit this site every single day for shutterbug inspiration, but it's so much more. speaking of photo inspiration, i recently discovered the flickr blog. oh my.....fantastic!

8. and lastly, i was sooooo inspired by the movie 500 days of summer. go see it. yes indeed. i haven't loved a movie this much since juno.

new website + blog!!!

after many long weeks of design work and uploading content (which is no small feat, that part. i'm exhausted!), i am so proud (and relieved) to announce the launching of my brand new website + blog today. i am over the moon with how it turned out. i really really am. over on the main site there's a new shop, an awesome new book page (with an amazing 'look inside this book' feature), a pretty extensive FAQ, and so much more. and the blog, omg, i'm in love.

i owe a huge thank you to christine of darling design who worked on getting the design just right (i loved working with her). she did an amazing job integrating all the facets of my creative life into the site and i'm am soooo grateful. i'm also loving that this new site is on wordpress, making it completely easy to maintain and manipulate. yes!

the hardest part was uploading all the content and working out many programming glitches. so, after major sleep deprivation and other kinks along the way, today i'm ready to celebrate. won't you join me? tell me what you think!!! and if you notice any bad links or things like that, please let me know. after spending so much time on this, i'm thrilled to put it out into the world and share it with you! it's a dream come true. it really is :)

**************************************

i want to put out a huge thank you to the folks over at the bright side project for the lovely feature (and giveaway) they wrote. i read it and started blushing immediately. so much kindness....and i've always LOVED the bright side project (the best idea, ever!) so it was extra special. please head on over to their awesome website and check out all the goodness they're involved with. thank you, bright side ladies!!!

my heart is huge, i don't know what to say

dear friends,

remember last fall when we all pulled together and raised money to help build a home for one exceptional family in rwanda? remember that? i do. i remember being blown away not only by the amt we raised, but by the strength of our hearts and our enthusiasm to do something remarkable. that was in november and the house was built to completion a long time ago but we didn't have a way to get photos...until now.

(esteria, in front of her old dilapidated home)

jen just returned from her trip to rwanda where she visited esteria and what she calls "the house that love built." i just got off the phone with her a little while ago where i wept the minute she told me about the house. and the photos really hit me. this is real. i am honored and so touched and moved beyond words to share her letter and photos with you (YOU made this happen!):

(new house on the left, old house on the right. HUGE difference)

Dear Kelly Rae,

Here are photos of Esteria's house. I cannot tell you how amazing it was for me to walk down that path, turn the corner and see this amazing little house right next to the old one still crumbling. Odette's brother Innocent did an amazing job with the money we sent--the house is not only strong, functional and well-thought out, it's also completely adorable and exactly what the family needs--no more and no less. By the time I found Esteria sitting out back, I was so emotional thinking about everything you've done and what a big difference your community made by caring like this. She hugged me for a long, long time while I cried.

I love you so much. Thanks for being willing to be in this with me and for reminding me of all the ways we make the world better when we decide we're in this together.

xo
Jen

(jen + esteria in front of the new house)

there you have it, friends. you did this. we did this. i am speechless. i really am.

*****************************************

ps-thank you so much for all the contributions that have been made to megan's chip-in fund (donation are still be accepted). again, we are making such an important impact for one very dear soul. here is part of a letter i received from her yesterday:

"I was speechless after reading your blog and all of the comments. I have never been the recipient of so much love and support from so many people at one time. My deepest gratitude for your heartfelt appeal. Your message and the comments from your readers have lifted my spirits and given me an extraordinary sense of well-being."

calling all hearts, we need you again (big giveaway is involved)

dear friends,

i'd like to tell you a story on one very brave woman and then ask for your help. we really need it. i am giving away a $200 shopping spree (to be spent in my etsy shop) to one lucky person who helps...more details below.

as i type this i am thinking about her - about how she is my age, about how she could be my best friend or my sister or any one of us reading this today. i really believe in the interconnectedness of our community. i feel it. i admire it. and i deeply believe in our collective power and hope to change people lives. we did it here on this blog last year when we raised over $5000 to build a house in rwanda for an exceptional family (btw, jen lemen just returned from rwanda where she visited that very house and took photos - more on that soon). and now we have an opportunity to do something really powerful again. i hope you can be a part of it.

meet megan (isn't she gorgeous with a spirit that radiates?). she is a dear college friend of one of my best friends and she is also a reader of this blog, making her a part of our community. megan is 36 years old. she is deeply loved by her family and friends. she is vibrant. talented. sassy and passionate. earlier this year she was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer with mets to her bone, lungs, liver, and brain. her story is heartbreaking, but to make matters worse, her insurance (blue shield of california, her employer based plan) has denied life saving treatments prescribed by her doctors, including brain radiation and a crucial medication that targets and removes the cancer from her body (referred to as a 'smart bomb'). having been a medical social worker for many years, i've seen this insurance denial scenario played out over and over again in oncology units across our country. it makes my heart sink to think that this happens every single day to countless people in our country. it could easily be me. it could be you.

my heart aches for megan as she fights for her life while taking on the burden of paying for her care. this is where we can help. you and me. megan's friends and family have set up a chipin fund with a goal to raise $100,000 by august 1st. they've been raising money for a couple of months and now we have an opportunity to add to what has already been raised. let's do it, friends. again, this is about our collective power. i believe that if we all just donate $5 (or more if you can), then we can help one very special woman on the journey of her life. let's dream big, hope to the moon, and see what we can do.

here's what you can do:

1. please donate to megan's chip-in fund (it will direct you to donate via paypal). ANY amt will do. if we all donate $5, $10, $20, we can make a huge impact. i really believe this.

2. after you've donated, please come back here and leave a comment. please only leave a comment if you have donated.

3. i am giving one commenter/donator $200 to spend in my etsy shop on whatever they wish!

thank you guys. my heart is incredibly hopeful that we can make a huge difference and release a little bit of financial burden from megan's shoulders so that she can do what is most important right now: focusing on her treatment, getting well, and spending time with loved ones.

ps - you can read more about megan and her cancer journey on her blog. and more specifics about what her chip-in funds are paying for in regards to specific treatment here. her story has also been featured on president obama's healthcare stories for america page right here.

thank you, thank you, thank you..........this means the world.

good question

between heart rocks galore (found on whidbey island) and sidewalk messages, i think i'm getting it. thank you, universe.

practicing

i've been in deep practice over here these last couple of days. actually, these last several weeks. i don't want to share all the details here, so i'll just say that it's been a long time since i've been pushed this way, forcing me to practice calm, stress management, and friendly communication. part of me wants to scream. another piece of me wants to give up. and another piece deeply wants to be validated. in between extreme frustration, i'm struggling to shift my perspective to knowing it will all work out if i can learn to let it go, give up my expectations and carry on. this is where the practice comes in. lots and lots of practice. because in the end, this has all been one giant lesson on giving up control, trusting the process, and learning to be more flexible. i know, i know. but i still feel hurt, wronged, frustrated. back to practicing....

so for all of you who are struggling alongside me this week, here's one big heart rock from me to you. and it's in the hand of john, my biggest supporter, my personal love rock, my favorite friend who has generously put up with me through all the practicing :)

big hugs.....we can do it, peeps!

whidbey island, i am loving you

as soon as i arrived home from san fran, john asked if i wanted to be spontaneous and go for a little unplanned camping adventure in the orange crush vw. these days i'm trying very hard to put off work and play as much as possible while the sun is out here in the pacific northwest. so i said yes. i had no idea i'd be so surprised by the beauty of whidbey island's deception pass. check us out:

although i'll admit i'm not a huge fan of commuting in the orange crush every single day (hello, seattle hills), i absolutely adore it out in the wilderness. super convienent, cute as all get out, and functional. here i am reading the last of the twilight books (i've been taking my time with the last two books - trying to make my addiction last as long a possible). i love coming home and having everything i took with me smell like a campfire.

this was our first time sleeping up in the topper and it felt like a grown-up fort. the best, and so much fun.

we had never seen one of these before - a full-on seesaw, natural style. right there on the beach. loved, loved, loved. isn't it a gorgeous view...love the fog.

love this shot of my family :)

the hiking was easy but with great views. more than that, i just really enjoyed the quiet and the downtime.

when we got home, we kept up the summer fun with an outside concert to see the decemberist. i love outside concerts - the best. and this one was especially good because the opening band was a.m.a.z.i.n.g! it's been a long while since i've been seduced by a new band and now, well i'm smitten. they're called blind pilot. check em out. you can get the whole cd on itunes.

****************************************

the winner of last weeks giveaway is dig-it designs who said she'd like to take flight into bravery of self. dig-it, please get in touch with me so we can get your print out to you. thank you susannah for your generosity!

more soon!

sponsor giveaway

i adore this photo of susannah conway's - would love to have a large print of it. reminds me of taking flight...dreamy + romantic.

lucky for us, susannah is offering one lucky reader the print of their choice (omg!) from her gorgeous etsy shop. i've followed susannah's progress these last couple of years and she has taken flight herself...into professional photography, writing, and now as an instructor of her popular e-courses. congratulations, susannah!! your work, talent, and words are truly stunning.

giveaway rules:
* to enter the giveaway, leave a comment in this post - but there's a twist. using just one-three words, tell us what you'd like to take flight into. is it creative bliss? a new job? forgiveness?
* just one comment per person, please.
* i'll announce the winner in just a couple of days.
* go!

so much to share!

"In the end, it’s our friendships that live in the spaces between our biggest life moments. It’s our friendships that hold the divide between life and love, fear and compassion, doubt and courage. And it’s our friendships that crack open our hearts to the light within ourselves waiting to be seen, to be born." - the last sentence from my article, the magic of friendship, in the current summer issue of Somerset Life magazine.

i am delighted to announce that my first article with Somerset Life is on stands now (sneak peek at the first couple of pages above)! i wrote about friendship - how its mysteries are uniquely wired for each of us, how its magic transcends the miles of our lives (btw, i write about the collectiveness of friendships, not just my own). i am most proud of this article - not only is it super meaningful to me, but it's some of my best writing. thank you, jenny doh, for the opportunity and thank you denise for your beautiful photographs that accompany the article. it's truly a gorgeous few pages inside a stunning magazine. the photos in the article are from my and mati's session with denise last fall. it was such fun to get all girlie during that shoot and it was also fun for mati and i to head off to to the bookstore together (i happened to be visiting her in san fran for the weekend) to find the magazine. for a few moments it felt as if we were teenagers squealing in laughter as we made fools of ourselves in the magazine aisle. here's a pic to prove our silliness.

(me and andrea - photo by andrea)

speaking of friendship, my trip to san fran was good. i really needed the perspective that comes with anticipating an adventure, getting on a plane, and spending some time with friends who already know all my bits and pieces and who feel familiar and warm to my soul. we ate, lounged by pools, caught up, took walks, went to the art show (mentioned in previous post), and on and on. i arrived home feeling renewed on the community front that i've been struggling with a bit.

(hugh + mati - adorable together)

(kelly marie + kelly rae)

*********************************************

in other news, registration for the class mati and i are co-teaching at An Artful Journey creative retreat opens up TOMORROW at 12 noon. my previous blog post with all the details is right here.

also, in an effort to get organized for my new shop to debut when my new website debuts, i've put some goodies on sale over on my etsy shop, including the cute totes and keepsake boxes.

more soon!

heading to san fran.

(little pink houses - sneak peek at mati + lisa's joint show. photo courtesy of lisa.)

i'm sitting in the seattle airport, elated at some very good news that i just received on the phone from DEMDACO. i've got my starbucks hot tea (tazo awake) and my banana nut muffin and a wide grin across my face. between the good news and the knowing that i'm going to be in san francisco soon, i'm happy as could be. i'm heading down to see a couple of girlfriends - a long weekend getaway with no other purpose except to share a few meals and experiences with my friends. i can't wait - really needing it.

for those of you who are in the san fran area, please consider coming out tomorrow evening for mati's joint show with lisa congdon. i'll be there with lots of other peeps supporting them both, celebrating their art (LOVE). the photo above is a sneak peek at the show. it's it gorgeous? all the details can be found here on lisa's blog.

in other news, i just want to say how much i love airports. the possibility, the adventure, the people watching, the opportunity to read gossip magazines. the best.

artful journey registration coming up soon!

been painting on the studio floor. feels good. really really good.

i wanted to let you guys know that registration for the artful journey creative retreat opens up on july 15th at 12 noon PST (so soon!). mati and i are teaming up to teach a 3 day class at this retreat called the funky chunky coffee table book. i love that we'll have the same students for all three days - lots of time for instruction and play and meaningful exchanges. also loving the location of this retreat - the beautiful santa cruz mountains in california. i really can't wait. i think it's going to be super fun and light and charged with creative bliss. if you are interested in registering, be sure to mark your calendars and sign up the day of registration as we're expecting it to sell out quickly - there is room for just over 20 students for our 3 day class. no painting experience is necessary - just a willingness to let all the gremlins go, meet some other creative souls, and get super messy with paints, paper, and glue!

you can read all about the class we're teaching right here.

and you can read all the other details regarding cost, lodging, registration and more right here.

i hope to see you there!

lately

lately i've been:

loving the new macbook pro. this new version puts my 2006 mac powerbook to shame. the photo booth is such fun (see above sillyness), the iphoto and imovie are way better, and the speed and graphics and memory are eons ahead of what i had. so thankful for technology. i'm getting geekier and geekier by the minute.

reading the twilight series. i charged through the first two books. i'm getting ready to start the last one tomorrow. i can't believe how obsessed i've been over these books. i mean really.

quite homesick for girlfriends. i know i need to find my community here in seattle but i'm feeling a bit pessimistic on this front at the moment. i'm feeling like my window of opportunity to meet peeps is right now given the awesome weather (everyone in the NW seems to go into hiding the minute nov 1st rolls around....that's just 4 months from now. can you sense my anxiety?). i'm fighting the compulsion to go up to strangers who look like they might be my kind of peeps and giving them my phone number. i know, i know.

working on the finishing touches on my new website. i am so eager to get it up, it's driving me slightly mad. the design is done and gorgeous and now the programming is in it's final stage. soon, soon!

thinking about creating a writing schedule. the life and art of writing is calling me more and more these days. like a compulsion.

exploring a bit more of seattle. found an awesome italian restaurant where the cappuccinos taste almost as good as they did in italy.

super inspired by true love and art and words and friends who are following their bliss, leaping fearlessly toward their rawness, their wild pieces, their destiny. it's pretty cool to witness these times of transformations in those i hold close.

in art news, i've been holding back. i don't know what's happening, but i sense a bit of tension and friction when it comes to my painting - like another birthing or growth spurt that is taking it's time. nothing too serious but it has me feeling a bit uneasy with the slow pace. it's all a part of it, i know. art will always be a part of my life, sometimes fast and furious. sometime slow and deliberate. i suppose i'm learning to navigate the slow and deliberate.

loving summer tv...mostly so you think you can dance and the bachelorette.

thinking about my life as a mom. what that would look like. how i would be. how i would love. this decision has been such a back and forth for me, that i sometimes wish the answer was clearer, that i just knew.

just happy. just slow and low and happy and fulfilled and not stressed out and not busy. life is good. and full. the ebbs and flows astound me.

a few quick announcements

oh that giveaway was such fun. the lucky winner of the orla tote is jeanneoli of a bushel and a peck - (totally delighted when she was randomly picked and i found her blog. it's delightful). jeanneoli, please get in touch with me so we can get your tote out to you!

also, i was planning to introduce the newest sponsors, but then realized i've never introduced all of the sponsors. so please let me introduce you to everyone rather than just the latest. 

we've got:

beth quinn designs 

bella wish

brush dance

gypsy girl's guide

unravelling

superhero designs

one inspired life

lady bird land

rachel austin

funky camera straps

julie abbott

maya chappell

katherine quinn

mati rose

thanks so much to our sponsors. i really love being a part of promoting creative business' whether it's jewelry, photography, painting, writing, fabric arts, and on an on. as always, please contact me if you are interested in becoming a sponsor.

one more thing....remember the necklaces i shared with you a couple of weeks ago? the first batch sold out but i've put another batch of them in the shop. woohooo! i love these necklaces. i've also added many more wall canvases to the shop including the previously sold out larger canvases (16x16) and several other sizes, including these two favorites:

ps - i'm retiring all of the small 5x5 affirmation prints super soon so scoop em' up now before they're gone :)

more soon. hope you guys are enjoying your holiday weekend!

xxo

xo

giveaway: orla kiely bag. (OMG!)

(me with my new fave bag)

so awhile back, i bought the above orla kiely bag from all the adorable online boutique, all about cute. i had been wanting one of the orla classics for a long time, so when all about cute had a sale, i jumped at the opportunity. i've had it a few weeks now, and i just adore it. love that it slings across my shoulder, that it's large enough to hold my SLR camera, my cardigans, my scarves (a must here in the NW - even in the summer), and everything else i could ever need for an outing.

so when juli over at all about cute offered to give an orla bag away to my readers, well, i jumped at that opportunity too! so here's what we've got:

an adorable orla kiely bag! it's slightly smaller than mine (mine is a maxi sling bag, this is a mini sling bag), which i love. i'm also loving the classic orla design and that red shoulder strap is killing me in all the best ways. one lucky reader is so winning this bag!!! everyone else still wins something else - see below for details.

************************************

giveaway recap:
*one reader will win the bag. a huge thanks to juli over at all about cute for the very generous giveaway.

*also, ALL readers of this blog have been offered a 40% discount when you buy anything over at all about cute. in order to receive the discount, please type in coupon code 'summer' during checkout. that is a serious sale, peeps. we are soooo lucky.

giveaway rules:
* to enter the giveaway, leave a comment in this post - but there's a twist. please just leave a one word comment. using just one word, tell us how this bag would make you feel when you put it on (mine makes me feel sassy).
* just one comment per person, please.
* i'll announce the winner in just a couple of days.
* go!